One thing I love about Cleveland are all of the local non-profits doing amazing work to give back and to solve problems that others may not be willing to solve. In the past few years, I’ve become very involved with a local nonprofit that serves children and families. Personally, I find being involved with a nonprofit and spending time – not just money – with an organization has made such a big difference in my life (my overall mental health has improved, my stress levels have gone done and I’ve reworked my schedule to make sure to have time to give back).

My journey to find the right non-profit to join started with a lot of research. I knew that an organization that helped children and women was a starting point based on my interests. From there the narrowing down process began. I spent time reading articles, learning about the mission of the organizations and determining where my talents would best be spent.

Then spending actual time at the non-profit was so important. The organization I volunteer with serves children and from the moment I went on my first tour and had my first hug from a little one, I was in. It was a moment where I knew I’d be committed to spending time with the organization.

For me, working with a non-profit is about more than giving money. It’s about being committed to the mission, spending time and using your talents in whatever ways possible (I’m so lucky that the non-profit I volunteer with is so open to new ideas).